


"Tightrope Walking"

by WritingWithADinosaur



Series: Tightrope Walking [1]
Category: Gotham (TV)
Genre: Dad! Jim Gordon, F/M, Hostage Situations, Kidnapping
Language: English
Status: Completed
Published: 2018-12-18
Updated: 2018-12-18
Packaged: 2019-09-22 06:45:25
Rating: Teen And Up Audiences
Warnings: Graphic Depictions Of Violence
Chapters: 7
Words: 13,699
Publisher: archiveofourown.org
Story URL: https://archiveofourown.org/works/17055125
Author URL: https://archiveofourown.org/users/WritingWithADinosaur/pseuds/WritingWithADinosaur
Summary: You are Jim Gordon’s adopted daughter and the girlfriend of Bruce Wayne. The two of you have been together for a long time and are college-aged. You both are taking a break from school. During dinner, you hear something that shakes you to your core.





	1. "Tightrope Walking - Part 1"

**Author's Note:**

> Bruce Wayne x Reader - Romantic Relationship
> 
> Jim Gordon x Reader - Father/Daughter Relationship
> 
> Jerome Valeska x Reader - Past Friendship
> 
> Key: Y/N = Your Name, L/N = Your Last Name, H/C = Your Hair Color, E/C = Your Eye Color
> 
> Warnings: Cursing, sort of panic attack type thing
> 
> This was based off of a request that I got on Tumblr.

You had a bit of a rough past, but you’re happy with where you are at the moment. You had been taken under _the_ Jim Gordon’s care and became his adopted daughter. Not only that, but you were also in a long-term relationship with Bruce Wayne. Yes, you were in Gotham, one of the more unsafe cities, but you were content with your life.

Jim was definitely not really ready to be a father, but you were 16 when he took you in. So it was much easier because you weren’t as dependent as if you were a young child. You’re now 18 and thankful for everything that Jim had provided for you. Jim was a wonderful father to you. He took care of you, helped you with most things, and made sure you were safe. He even taught you some self-defense. 

He was also the _only_ one who knew your entire backstory. You hadn’t even told Bruce about it yet because whenever you tried, you froze and changed topics. Bruce knew better than to push you. If you wanted to talk about it, you would bring it when you’re comfortable. That was one of the many things you loved about your boyfriend.

You had a steady job at a popular cafe in the city, which is part of the reason why you took a break from school. You knew it would be a lot to go to college, even the community college. So you wanted to work for a year or two and save up money. The less the debt the better.

It was a Friday night, the night you got off of work early, but Jim stayed late. Most of the time, you would hang out and have dinner with Bruce on these days, sometimes sleeping over. Tonight was one of those nights.

You stopped at the grocery store on your way to Wayne manor and got some stuff to make this chicken dish you’ve been wanting to try. Alfred complained when you came in with your few grocery bags. Insisting that they have a lot of stuff here that you could have used and saved your money. But you shook him off and just started cooking while he mumbled something about you being stubborn.

Dinner turned out perfect! Alfred and Bruce thought so too. You all were eating while listening to the news on the television. It was the usual crimes and corruption. You were mid bite when you heard a name that paralyzed you.

_Jerome Valeska_

You just stared at the TV and tried to take in what the reporter was talking about. There was some sort of cult following that had come to idolize Jerome after his time with the Maniax. But Jerome was dead. Or so you thought. The reporter went on to say that Jerome himself has somehow been taken out of the secure facility his body was in, and is now alive and walking among us.

“Footage of Jerome walking out of a warehouse has been leaked to the media. He attacked one reporter after leaving a message on his camera. We have this recording for you tonight. What you are about to see may be frightening to some, so _please_ watch with caution.” 

The footage of him talking starts playing. It’s clearly Jerome, but his face looks like it was cut off and stapled back into place. His voice was a bit different from the one you knew, but it was still distinguishable as Jerome’s voice.

“Did ya’ miss me, Gotham?! _I’m back!_ And prepare yourself for a show you will never forget!” His laugh rang out before he pulled out a gun and shot whoever was holding the camera because the next visual was the camera falling to the ground. You could see his shoes walking away, but then he stopped and turned to walk towards the camera. As soon as his feet were right in front of the camera, he picked it up and looked directly in it. 

“Oh and by the way, I’m coming to get ya’, _sweetcheeks!_ We’ll be together again real soon.” Another laugh rang out as he dropped the camera on the ground, causing the footage to cut out.

You got more chills, which you didn’t think was possible at this point. The reporter began talking again, all of it came out as mumbles to you.

Alfred had turned the TV off, but you couldn’t move your eyes from the blank screen. Him and Bruce were talking about what they had just seen, but you couldn’t pay attention to what they were saying.

You couldn’t move. You couldn’t talk. All you could do was listen to all of the thoughts that were racing in your head. _How is Jerome back from the dead? Why Gotham? Why out of all of the cities, he had to chose Gotham? He had already caused enough havoc on this already fucked up place._

Then all thoughts stopped when you remembered his last sentence.

_**Sweetcheeks.** That’s what he used to call **you.** He said he was coming to get his sweetcheeks. Was he coming for you?! You couldn’t be near him. Not after what he did to his mother or after everything he did with Theo Galavant. _

Your breathing began to quicken as you looked down a bit. Bruce noticed this and tried to put his hand on your arm.

“(Y/N)? Hey, what’s wrong?”

You were so lost in thought that you didn’t realize it was Bruce. You quickly dropped your fork and kind of stumbled backwards a couple of feet. This wasn’t the first time that something like this has happened. Having as messed up of a past as you had, there were still times when your thoughts got the best of you and you kind of forgot where you were. Bruce knew how to help get you back to reality. Alfred, however, had never seen you like this.

“ _Oi!_ What–” Alfred started to kind of yell as he took a step forward, but Bruce quickly stopped him from speaking or stepping any closer.

“It’s okay. Just, please be quiet. Let me handle this.” Alfred looked him over before nodding and taking a couple steps back to observe. 

Bruce kept his distance and raised his hands up to show he meant no harm. You registered that first before you could realize who it was that was coming near you. All you saw was blur.

“(Y/N)? Hey! I need you to focus here, babe.” His voice. You snapped back almost instantly, but still felt frozen and couldn’t breathe right. He saw that you now were sort of back but not fully. He took a couple of steps towards you, hands still up.

“If you don’t control your breathing, you’re going to pass out. Focus on something small that is here. Focus on the tiles. Focus on your hands.” You somehow looked down and moved your hands. They didn’t feel real at first, but then you started moving each joint in each finger and the feeling slowly came back.

“Come back to me, (Y/N). _Please._ ” Bruce was worried, but kept a strong appearance. He knew that these attacks took their toll on you whenever you had them, and if he showed any weakness, it would make it worse. But in this moment, he couldn’t help but let a little bit of fear come out when he pleaded.

_Those words. That voice._

The two made you finally really feel like you were coming back. You felt your breathing get a bit normal until you started to cry. You hated uncertainty. And you were never certain of when attacks were going to happen, how long they would last, or how much it would hit you afterwards.

Bruce had moved closer as you were focused on your hands, he had a feeling that you would be back to reality soon. You always had this miniscule change in your eyes when you shifted back. Only Bruce has noticed it.

As soon as you started to break, he grabbed one of your hands and sat you both down on the floor. You instinctively curled yourself into him and he held you as you let all of your tears out. He rubbed small circles on your back and tried to help calm you down as best as he could.

Alfred stood back and watched almost in awe. He had always seen you as this strong young woman. And as if seeing you break in front of him wasn’t enough, he was shocked by Bruce’s approach. Obviously this has happened before. He tried his best to take in what had just happened in case this ever happened when Bruce wasn’t around.

“Is there anything I can do?” Alfred asked Bruce. He felt awful just watching this happen. Bruce thought for a few seconds before responding.

“Can you make sure her room is set up? And maybe have a water bottle, a cool washcloth, and some tissues on the bedside table?” Alfred gave a nod and tried to give a empathetic smile.

“Of course. If there is anything else, let me know.” Alfred started to turn and head to the upstairs rooms, but Bruce spoke up.

“Alfred?” he turned back around and tried to be a mix of professional and fatherly.

“Yes, Master Bruce?”

“Thank you.” He just nodded in response and turned to walk away. As he did, he heard Bruce talking to you in hushed tones.

“It’s okay, babe. You’re safe right now. Shhhh…”

You let the last wave of this attack wash over you. You were in a familiar pair of arms, surrounded by a familiar scent, hearing a familiar and soothing voice. You had Bruce. You were back. Scared, but back.

~~~~~~~~

At some point, Bruce had picked you up and carried you to your bedroom. You both were laying in bed, the fluffy and warm comforter pulled around you. You had a bit of it in your hand and absent mindedly moved it around your fingers. The cool washcloth on your forehead helped relax you as well.

Bruce just had his arm around you and held you a bit close while he flipped through the tv to find something light to put on.

_You know that Bruce is probably freaked out after this shit. How the fuck are you gonna explain this one? I mean, he has to know that it’s something to do with Jerome. If only he knew your past. Your WHOLE past. Looks like tonight is the night he finds out._

“Bruce?” You felt him jump a little bit. He wasn’t expecting you to talk.

“Hey there, sweetheart. How you doing?” He shifted himself so he could somewhat see your face. You’re gaze was still on the section of the blanket that you had in your hand. This wasn’t totally unusual for you to do after an attack.

“I’m sorry about tonight. I just… I heard Jerome’s name and…” You took a breath to stop yourself from hyperventilating again.

“You know you never need to apologize when this happens. I’m here for you through the best and worst times. I promised you that when I asked you to be my girlfriend.” You looked up to see a smile on his face before he leaned down and kissed your forehead. You felt a small smile creep on your face before you thought about what you had to do next.

You sat up and leaned against the headboard, Bruce shifted so he was sitting opposite of you. He reached for one of your hands and you gladly let him take it in his. _Deep breath. He’ll understand. And if he doesn’t… You have Jim for support. Just… Bruce deserves to know._

“I need to tell you about my past…”


	2. "Tightrope Walking" - Part 2

**Summary for the Chapter:**

> With the return of Jerome, it’s time for your boyfriend, Bruce, to finally hear about your past.

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> Bruce Wayne x Reader - Romantic Relationship
> 
> Jim Gordon x Reader - Father/Daughter Relationship
> 
> Jerome Valeska x Reader - Past Friendship
> 
> Key: Y/N = Your Name, L/N = Your Last Name, H/C = Your Hair Color, E/C = Your Eye Color
> 
> Warnings: Cursing, talk of murder
> 
> This was a request from a Tumblr user.

4 years ago, you’re parents disappeared. They were times you heard them with people who were from the bad parts of town. You knew how bad the foster system would be, so you packed a backpack full of essentials and went on your own. It wasn’t until after you ran away that you found out just who your parents really were. They worked for one of the gang leaders in a city about an hour out from Gotham.

You didn’t really have any destination in mind. You just wandered for a while until you saw a flyer on a newsstand for Haly’s Circus. It was a traveling circus that was setting up for a weekend of shows at the local fairgrounds. You were able to crack into your parent’s lockbox and take some cash, so you weren’t worried about money yet. _Why not go to the circus?_ Maybe it can be a movie moment where you actually run away with them.

You didn’t expect that last part to actually ring true.

When you finally made it to the big top, you were in awe. You always loved the circus, you just hadn’t ever been to one. There were so many things to do before the show. Play carnival games, get a snack, meet some of the performers that were wandering around, interacting with guests. You saw a sort of shooting game where you had to shoot at cutouts of ducks that had targets on their backs.

“ _Woah there, sweetcheeks!_ You sure you’re up for this game?” The ginger teenager operating the game questioned. He didn’t look more than a year or two older than yourself. His sort of sexist comment made you even more determined to prove him wrong. You had learned how to use a gun thanks to your parents. So when you hit every target perfectly, it was no shock to you, but certainly to the boy. He laughed loudly. _That laugh…_ So different from any you have heard or will hear.

“Well damn. What’s your name, beautiful?” You told him your name and shook his hand. You both started talking. His name was Jerome Valeska, his mother was the snake lady, and he had kind of a messed up life as well. But he made the best of it.

“So got any cute boyfriend or overprotective daddy around here?” You laughed a bit and shook your head no. You didn’t mean for the rest to slip out.

“No. I’m alone. My parents disappeared a few days ago and I just up and left. I had nowhere else to go, so I figured I’d have some fun before really trying to figure out where the hell I am going or what I’m going to do for survival.”

When he heard your story, he was taken aback. You seemed so independent and strong, but he could tell that that was a partial act. Jerome didn’t want to fully admit this, but he had a sort of fondness for you. He knows how shitty it feels to be alone, and couldn’t imagine having no one in his life. How you’ve done it was a mystery to him.

The announcer came on the intercoms to warn everyone that the show was going to start soon and for the audience to find their seats.

“Well, I guess that’s my cue to go. I loved talking to you-” You started to say goodbye even though you really didn’t want to. Jerome was your only friend right now, and you loved it. So you were hopeful when he interrupted you.

“Do you want to watch the show with me? I can tell you about each act and I can take you backstage and meet everyone afterwards too.” You could tell that he actually wanted to spend more time with you. You gladly accepted his offer.

You both then sit together in a middle section of the seating area. As the different performances come out, you are amazed! Seeing everyone flip and tumble and juggle and do what they do introduced you to a whole new world. You wanted to be a part of this world, _but how?_

Jerome stayed true to his word and took you backstage afterwards. The last person he wanted to introduce you to was the ringleader. As soon as Jerome saw him, he turned to you.

“I got a plan. Just let me do all the talkin’.” Before you could ask him for clarification, he turned back and went up to the ringleader. He introduced you to him and then kept talking.

“So, (Y/N) here is alone. Parents are gone, no friends, no family. So I figured, she could join ours.” You couldn’t believe what you had just heard. The rest of the conversation was between the two guys, but you stood in shock.

After all of the talking, you were given the small extra caravan that had just been emptied. You made that little place and the circus your home for the next 2 years. You were able to train with the performers and actually ended up being a jack of all trades. You could fill in for almost anyone after only 6 or 7 months of training, you knew your way around the tech part of the circus, and you were always able to help you with the carnival games or food stands.

Jerome became your best friend and go to guy for anything and everything. He would work the booths with you, help you clean up after shows, and even spot you when you trained. You both found a tightrope set up in one of the storage containers. The couple who did that act moved on awhile ago. Jerome got an idea.

“How’s your balance, sweetcheeks?” He had a smile on his face, and you were nervous at the thought of being so high up. But something inside of you said that you could do it.

So for the next few months, you both set up the tightrope ( _and net_ ) and practiced after hours while everyone was asleep. Jerome watched comfortably from the ground. He was super supportive and worried about your safety.

You had actually gotten really good at being on the tightrope. It was oddly relaxing. You slowly started to build a sort of routine. Never in a million years would you think you would actually perform it in front of anyone other than Jerome.

On the one year anniversary of you joining Haly’s circus, you were surprised by the ringleader. Starting in the next city, you were going to have your very own act on the tightrope. That was also the night that you and Jerome became a bit more than friends.

For the next year, you performed your act in front of crowds from about 45 different cities across the United States. The first performance was nerve wracking, but then you improved and kept growing. You had never felt this good about yourself. When you were up high above everyone else, you felt _invincible_ and like you were _wanted_. Wanted by not only the audience, but by a certain circus boy who insisted on being one of the ones who watched you and made sure you safe during every performance. He was always right below you, ready to catch you if the net gave out or your safety harness broke.

You and Jerome had also gotten very close outside of the performance. You were his escape and oasis in this circus world. You two had your fights and spats just like any other couple. But things weren’t bad until one particularly brutal experience with his mom. _It changed him._ He became more angry and transformed into this unrecognizable person that was not the Jerome you fell in love with.

While you were thankful for everything the circus had done for you in your time of need, you felt the overwhelming need to move on. You spent two years of your life traveling, but not really moving anywhere in life. You needed change, normality, and more than what this life could offer you.

The circus was setting up right outside of Gotham. It wasn’t the nicest city, but if you went to one more city, you’d break. You had talked to the ringleader earlier in the day about you quitting, he was saddened but respectful about it. He understood that this life isn’t for everyone. Jerome on the other hand, didn’t take it too well…

You had left him a note on his bed before you went to do your hair and makeup. You were one of the performers who not only performed, but also went out and greeted guests as they arrived. You were putting the finishing touches on your makeup when your door slammed open and a wild Jerome barged in.

A major argument ensued. You understood why Jerome didn’t want you to leave, and you tried to get him to see your side of the story, but he couldn’t. It ended with you being called out to start working for the night and walking out, saying that you’d talk about this later.

Little did you know that there wouldn’t really be a _later_.

That night, Jerome wasn’t there to spot you during your act. It was a couple of the other circus tech crew members. Jerome had snuck off and killed his mother after another one of her fits.

You went back to your caravan after your act was canceled thanks to the families feuding and the GCPD breaking it up. You had been interrogated by a man named Jim Gordon. He asked about your suitcase being packed up, and you told him your whole back story. He could tell that you were telling the truth. You asked if this would keep you from moving to Gotham. He gave you the okay and even offered to help. He couldn’t let a 16 year old just wander around Gotham alone. Jim then went to go talk to the rest of the circus.

About 20 minutes later, he knocked at your door again and asked you about Jerome’s mother. That’s when you found out that she had been murdered. You went to go comfort Jerome as soon as you could. When the police finally left, Jerome went back with you to your caravan and stayed with you for the night.

The next morning, you were having your last breakfast with everyone. Recollecting memories, talking about future plans, saying that you’ll visit whenever they came near Gotham again, and finally the goodbyes. Jerome was the last one to say goodbye to. He tried one last time to get you to stay, but you needed to move on. You knew he’d had the circus family to support him, but you felt awful leaving him. _Until he confessed to killing his mother._

You almost _ran_ after that. The last thing you remember before getting in the cab was his laugh and him saying “I’ll come and find ya’, sweetcheeks!”

From that moment, Jerome’s short reign of terror began until he was shot during his attempt to kill Bruce. After his arrest, Jim Gordon took you in. You were too young to be on your own. He knew he had to wait until after the investigation to even say anything to you about it, but as soon as Jerome was taken away, Jim called you.

~~~~~~~~

 

“And then you know the rest of what led to this moment.” You didn’t realize how bad you were shaking. Bruce waited until you were done talking to move and hold you tight to try to fight the trembling.

He had listened to every word you said and how you said them. He didn’t judge you for any of your past. He understood everything.

“I’m so sorry you had to go through all of that.” Bruce just held you close, gently rubbing his hand up and down your arm. You wrapped yourself around him. Bruce then had a lightbulb go off in his head. Hearing Jerome’s name on the television was what set you off earlier. He turned to face you, you were looking down at the comforter.

“Hey, (Y/N)?” You looked up at him now. You could clearly see the protective Bruce coming out. There was a small amount of worry in his eyes though.

“You know I’m going to do _whatever_ it takes to keep you safe, right?” You nodded your head yes and leaned up to kiss his cheek before going back to playing with the comforter. You knew he would always do his best when it came to you. There was a pause in the conversation which caused you to look back up at him. You could see that he was trying to work out something in his head. He always got this look when he was thinking.

“What’s going through your head, Brucey?” You slid your hand into his and intertwined your fingers. He was so warm compared to your frigid body. You always seemed to be cold, but he was your warmth.

“I don’t want you being alone.” You waited for him to continue. “I mean, I don’t think it’s going to be safe for you to be without any protection. I know that Jim has taught you some self defense, but if Jerome _really_ intends on coming after you, he is going to be able to fight back.” You shifted a bit, scared of the thought of Jerome popping in out of nowhere and taking you. Bruce noticed this and tried his best to make things worse.

“I think you should take time off of work until this all blows over. Either stay here with me and Alfred, or be with Jim, or even at the GCPD. I know you don’t like this, but I’m trying to think safe and rational.” You just nodded your head.

He was right. _You didn’t like this idea._ You didn’t like the idea of not working. You didn’t like the idea of basically hiding from Jerome. Yes you didn’t want to confront the maniac killer, but you didn’t want to hide either. Bruce saw that you weren’t very happy and made you look at him when he began talking again.

“I love you. And you are too important in my life for me to let anything to happen to you. This is much more than the usual ‘making sure you don’t walk alone at night’. He is an insane _murderer_ that you have a past with. Which puts a huge target on your back. So _please_ , realize that this is the best plan to keep you safe.” You just leaned forward and kissed him.

You trusted Bruce with your life. You loved him to the farthest stars and back. If he said this was the safest way, then you believed him. His points were valid and you knew that sometimes the best option isn’t always the most well liked.

You pulled away and rested your forehead on his. He was about to speak when you cut him off.

“It’s the safest way.” Bruce let out a deep breath and was relieved that you said that. He pulled you into another kiss. His lips were gentle and sweet, he knew that that was all you needed in this moment and you gladly kissed back.

You both were interrupted by your phone ringing. You looked at the screen.

_Jim Gordon Calling._

Taking a deep breath, you answered the phone. “Hey.”

“(Y/N)! _Thank god!_ Where are you?” It was obvious that Jim was scared. He must have heard the news at work.

“I’m at Bruce’s.”

“Okay. Good. I just wanted to make sure because I just got word that–”

“Yes, I heard the news while we were having dinner tonight. I know that _he_ is back somehow.” Jim went quiet for a few seconds. You could imagine him leaning on his desk, head in his hand, phone in the other, feeling like a bad parent for not being with you. You decided to keep speaking.

“I’m fine right now, just a bit shaken. Bruce was able to help me calm down enough to function again.”

“Tell him I said ‘thank you.’” There was a small pause before Jim sighed on the other end. “Listen, I know I should be with you at home tonight, but now that Jerome is out, Captain’s got us working like crazy.” You decided to speak before he continued to make himself feel worse.

“It’s alright. I already decided that I am going to just spend the night here tonight. I left a some clothes here awhile ago since I come by so often that I practically live here. And I’m sure that it won’t be any problem if I stay here more often because of your work load.”

“Tell Bruce I said ‘thank you’ again. I’m glad you’re with him instead of some punk from the cafe or something.” There was some noise in the background that must have caught Jim’s attention. “I gotta go. I’ll let you know when I get back home safe. I love you, kiddo.”

“ _Wait!_ Before you go, we have to talk about this plan that Bruce thought of.”


	3. "Tightrope Walking" - Part 3

**Summary for the Chapter:**

> Hanging out at the GCPD should be a safe and secure place, right??

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> Bruce Wayne x Reader - Romantic Relationship
> 
> Jim Gordon x Reader - Father/Daughter Relationship
> 
> Jerome Valeska x Reader - Past Friendship
> 
> Key: Y/N = Your Name, L/N = Your Last Name, H/C = Your Hair Color, E/C = Your Eye Color
> 
> Warnings: Cursing, sort of panic attack type thing
> 
> This was based off of a request that I got on Tumblr.

You explained Bruce’s idea to Jim and he strongly agreed. He knew about your past with Jerome and didn’t want to take any chances. So you were going to quit your job for the time being, and not be alone. You hated it, but you knew this would be the safest option.

A few days went by and no one heard anything about Jerome. Not even a bank heist by him or his followers. It was very unsettling. You had spent the night with Bruce again last night since Jim had to work late again. He still trying to work with the captain about his schedule. He felt awful about it, but you and Bruce and even Alfred assured him that you were fine to stay at Wayne Manor.

It was Monday morning. You woke up around 7 o’clock because of your alarm. Usually you would wake up to this alarm and get ready for work. But then you remembered what was going on. _Jerome. Alive. **Sweetcheeks.**_ You just sighed and closed your eyes. It was a weird mix of feeling real and feeling like a nightmare that you’d just wake up from. But feeling Bruce’s protective hold on you proved that this was real.

You tried to fall back to sleep but couldn’t. You grabbed your phone from the bedside table and remembered a recipe you found the other day. _It would be a nice surprise for the boys._ When you found the screenshot you had of it, you smiled to yourself.

You decided to try to get up and make breakfast. But you had one obstacle first. Bruce. He was a very light sleeper, more so lately with the outbreak of Jerome and his mass of followers. You were somehow able to unhook yourself from his arms and put one of the pillows in your place without waking him up. You felt a bit accomplished, a bit sneaky.

Knowing him, he would freak out and instantly go into hero mode if he saw you weren’t there next to him. So you left a note on the bedside table.

“ _Bruce -_

_I’m okay. I’m safe. I’m just downstairs in the kitchen. Woke up and couldn’t fall back to sleep. Thought I would make some breakfast for us all. Come down whenever you want._

_< 3_

_\- (Y/N)_ ”

Even though you left your note for Bruce, you weren’t surprised when he quickly came into the kitchen 30 minutes later with a look of panic in his eyes and pulled you into a protective embrace. Your arms naturally wrapped around his neck while he had his around your waist. He had apparently ran because you could hear him breathe a bit harder than if he had just walked. Bruce pulled away enough to look at you and put a hand on your cheek.

“(Y/N). I read the note, but I was still scared of you being alone. Someone could have snuck in and–” You didn’t let him continue any further. You pull him down to have your lips land on his. That was a guaranteed way to shut him up, even for a few seconds. When you broke the kiss, it was your turn to put a hand to his cheek and talk.

“I’m safe, I’m here, and breakfast will be done in about 10 minutes. If something had happened, you or Alfred would have heard me. Now, if you could help set the table for breakfast, that would be lovely.” Bruce sighed, nodded, and kissed you once more before grabbing some plates and utensils for you two and Alfred.

Breakfast ended up perfect! The eggs and spinach melded together nicely, even Alfred commented on your cooking abilities. Alfred finished first and started to work on the dishes while you and Bruce took your time.

“So, do you have any plans for today, (Y/N)?” Bruce asked before taking a bite. You didn’t really have to think too much. Basically being on house arrest made it simple for you to think of what to do lately.

“Not really. I may try to get back into drawing. I haven’t sketched anything in a few weeks. Maybe I’ll find a space in the study to listen to music and do that for a couple hours.” You didn’t really look up while saying that, absentmindedly moving your food around your plate. Bruce could tell that you weren’t happy with being confined like this. He held your hand and gently slid his thumb across the back of your hand.

“I know you hate this. I know it sucks to be restricted. But this is–” You cut him off. Knowing what he would say next.

“Is for my safety and you all are just trying to look out for me. I know. It’s just a struggle to go from working and keeping busy to not really doing much of anything so abruptly.” You looked up at him and tried to give him a small smile while you squeezed his hand a bit. “I’m fine. This is all temporary anyways.”

Bruce squeezed your hand in return.

“Would you want me to join you? I can do my own work in the study. So you’re not alone. Unless you want to be alone. Then I understand.” You liked the thought of you two just working silently, with music playing in the background. It was very peaceful. But before you could respond, Alfred cut in.

“Did you forget about the meeting with the board today?”

From the look on Bruce’s face, he had obviously forgotten. He went from looking like he was shook to trying to figure out a plan. You hadn’t really left his sight much since Jerome’s come back made the news. This would be the first time you would be away from him. Somewhere where he couldn’t protect you.

You hated seeing him worry so much. You squeezed his hand a bit and spoke up.

“Hey. It’s fine. I can just go to the GCPD. If Jim isn’t available, I’ll hang out with Harvey or one of the other buddy cops I have. I’ll be fine there. This was part of the plan anyways, wasn’t it?”

Bruce nodded in agreement. He understood, but he was still worried beyond belief. So you decided to keep talking.

“I promise that if anything happens, I’ll let you know. Even if it’s something small like stubbing my toe or finishing a drawing. Then, if need be, you can be my knight in shining armor.” Bruce smiled at that. He really wanted to be your hero all the time. He squeezed your hand and agreed.

The two of you finished breakfast and got ready for your days. Bruce got dressed in one of his suits that always left you swooning a bit, while you were in your typical tank top, jeans, and slouchy cardigan. Your bag was all ready to go while Bruce gathered the last of his papers. You decided to put on a bit of makeup. Nothing big, just some neutrals. Afterwards, you just stared at your sketchbook that was sticking out of your purse. Maybe you’ll find inspiration at the GCPD.

Alfred drove to the front of the police station. Bruce got out and opened your door to help you out. He put your hand on his arm and walked you in. You didn’t question his moves. You knew how worried he was about you, more than usual lately.

He made sure to get you all the way to Jim before saying goodbye. He kissed you a bit more than usual before leaving. It was still full of love, but there was a forcefulness there, like a fear that this would be the last one. You tried to give him a reassuring look before he left.

~~~~~~~~

 

You found yourself helping around the GCPD with Jim until he got called out to a crime scene.

“I gotta go help a team at a robbery. Just stay at my desk. You’ll be in view of the other officers. There is a spare gun underneath the desk and it’s just overall safer here.” You nodded your head. Jim sighed and kissed your head.

“Be safe, Jim!” You call to him as he runs out. _I guess it’s time to draw a bit._

It had only been 30 minutes or so since Jim left. You were working on a drawing of your favorite flower. The shading of the petals were giving you a hard time. Then, out of nowhere, you felt tape forced against your mouth and your wrists in handcuffs. You tried to fight back, kicking and elbowing behind you, but all you got in return was a laugh. Not just any laugh, _his_ laugh. You froze as he leaned down and spoke in your ear.

“Hey there, _sweetcheeks._ Did ya miss me?” Another laugh echoed through the GCPD. You thought one of the other cops would get up and help you, but then you looked around and saw that every single cop had two of Jerome’s henchmen surrounding them at gun or knife point. Jerome continued to talk to you, but you hadn’t turned around to face him yet. He sat you down and began to walk around you so that he was right in front of you.

“So, you made yourself into a whole new person. From an orphaned circus performer to the adopted daughter of the one and only _Jim Gordon._ Oh! And let’s not forget, the sweetheart of _the_ Bruce Wayne. How the hell did ya swing that one?” He laughed again and pushed your chin up so you would look at him. But instead, you closed your eyes.

“Aw, come on now. That’s not very nice. _Look_ at me when I talk to you, sweetcheeks!” He yelled that last part but had to walk away to readjust himself. Apparently the stab he had in his neck was affecting his talking more than he thought. You tried to get up and run away, but then he got a hold of you. One arm around your neck, the other around your stomach.

“Fine. If you’re going to be this fussy. We’ll just leave then.” Before you could even completely register what he had said, you were knocked out.

Everything went to black.


	4. "Tightrope Walking" - Part 4

**Summary for the Chapter:**

> Jerome announces that he has you live on tv and then welcomes you to his lethal big top circus.

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> Bruce Wayne x Reader - Romantic Relationship
> 
> Jim Gordon x Reader - Father/Daughter Relationship
> 
> Jerome Valeska x Reader - Past Friendship
> 
> Key: Y/N = Your Name, L/N = Your Last Name, H/C = Your Hair Color, E/C = Your Eye Color
> 
> Warnings: Cursing, sort of panic attack type thing
> 
> This was based off of a request that I got on Tumblr.

You woke up and found yourself still handcuffed, but you were no longer in the GCPD. You didn’t know where you were, but it was some sort of warehouse or factory. Most of the lights were out or super dim. Looking around, you didn’t see Jerome. There was a chair in a spotlight to your right though. A man was tied to the chair with a multitude of explosives surrounding him. He noticed that you were awake.

“So you’re the one Jerome talked about. You’re sweetcheeks!” You cringed at that. Trying to shuffle further away from him, he started to laugh. He really was as crazy as the rest of Jerome’s followers. Just as you were about to stand up, a door on the other side of the room opened. Jerome stepped through with a large camera that had a Channel 9 logo on the side of it.

“Do I really have to tape your mouth shut too, Dwight? You’re freakin' her out.”

You had a feeling you knew what he was going to do. It would be very unlike Jerome to not show off that he is alive. What better way to do it than with a _literal_ bang.

There was no way out. No reason to even try. So you just waited for Jerome to finish his speech. He was going on about how death gave him a new perspective on life, how there were no rules in the darkness.

“So tonight, Gotham, do you want. Kill who you want.” He tried to continue his thought but had to fix himself. He turned away from the camera for a second, regaining his composure, then made eye contact with you. He pulled you off the ground and held you in front of the camera. You tried your hardest not to cry and be tough like how Jim taught you, but you ended up crying a bit. Everything was so much more overwhelming that anything that Jim could have prepared you for.

“Oh and to a certain favorite GCPD cop and a certain rich orphan, I certainly found a prize. If you want _her_ , you gotta find _me_.” He pulled you close and kissed your cheek, causing you to flinch and cry a bit more. He let out a maniacal laugh before pulling out his lighter and finishing his speech.

“And when morning comes, you too shall be reborn!” You avoided the camera until you were being pulled away by Jerome.

He stopped in front of the man in the chair to give him one last remark. Something about his face. You were too lost in your thoughts to focus. _Jim and Bruce are probably freaking out right now. I should have been more careful. What if I never seen them again? What is Jerome planning?_

You were rushed into a car with Jerome speeding away from the building. You knew there was going to be an explosion, but you didn’t expect it to be _that_ big! The lights of almost all of Gotham went out!

“Don’t worry, sweetcheeks! We’ll be in a better place soon.” He glanced at you for a moment and saw you shaking and trying not to cry anymore than you already did. You didn’t think it was possible, but he ended up driving faster until you reached your destination: _a circus._

But this wasn’t like Haly’s. No. This was a new level of fucked up that you had never seen. Carnival games that were full of carnage and violence. Jerome seemed to thoroughly enjoy this set up. He was giving advice to some people playing the games as the two of you passed by. But he stopped at one area that sent shivers up your spine.

There was a businessman tied to a circular wooden board that also has balloons all over it. The man working this “game” handed Jerome 5 knives, to which Jerome laughed giddily and turned to you.

“(Y/N), you remember how good I was at this type of stuff? Watch this!” He turned back around and focused on the board.

He threw three knives and hit three balloons. But when he threw the fourth one, it landed right in the man’s left shoulder. The businessman cried out in pain, but Jerome found nothing but amusement. He threw the final knife and hit the man in the middle of his right thigh, earning another shout of pain from the man and another laugh from Jerome. He turned back to you and put his arm around your shoulder.

“Haly’s was _never_ this fun! Well, it was, until _you left_.” You couldn’t tell if he was saddened by that memory or angry. You didn’t know if you necessarily _wanted_ to know.

Jerome led you through the grounds and stopped at a dressing room area. He had you stand in the center of the room while he grabbed something off the rack that you never thought you’d see again: Your old costume. It was a shimmery black leotard with yellow accents. He held it up as if it was a prize at an auction, before laying it down on the chair next to the mirror.

“Now, I’m gonna undo your wrists, bit you have to promise not to run away. That would only end bad for you. Ya see, I have my men and women swarming this place. If you run, I give one shout and you join my mom on the other side. Capishe?”

A tear slid down your face as you realize how right he was. There was no way of getting out. You had to do what he said. So you nodded in agreement and he clapped his hands.

“Good!” He turned back to the costume rack and pulled a pair of leggings and shoes and put them next to the leotard. “Now get dressed. I’ll be back in 5.” As Jerome left, two female groupies came in to watch you and make sure you didn’t try anything funny.

You did as he said. You changed and tied your hair up into a ponytail. When he came back, he honestly looked at you in awe. His hand fell to his chest as he took you in.

“(Y/N). You look absolutely wonderful. But, there is _something_ missing.” He had one if his girls do your makeup. You ended up looking like a mime. Jerome of course gave his opinion.

“Something isn’t right… Oh! I got it!” He then pulled out a knife and stabbed the girl who had been doing your makeup, right in the stomach. He then plunged his fingers into the gash and brought them out, covered in blood. He came towards you and you tried to move away, but he held you in place. He painted a smile extending from your lips using the blood. You felt like you were going to vomit.

“Much better. Don’t you think?” He looked at you in the mirror with a wide smile. You said nothing. “Well, too bad. Now get stretching. You go on in 15.” He was about to turn and walk away when you realized what he said. Your face was a mixture of confused and scared.

“What do you mean?” You asked. Jerome turned around all too quickly.

“ _She speaks!_ God how I’ve missed that voice! But yeah, you are performing tonight. I found and old tightrope and _most_ of the set up. I want to show you off to everyone.”

You suddenly got nervous. You hadn’t performed for anyone since you left Haly’s all those years ago. Yes you had tested your balance every once in awhile, but you never thought of performing again. You were looking down at your outfit when you realized something Jerome had just said. _Most of the set up._

“What do you mean ‘most of the set up’?” You were getting more and more fearful by the second. He put his hands on your shoulders in an attempt to calm you down, even though it did the opposite and caused you to stiffen up.

“Well, I found the rope, kind of a big deal. I also found a balancing pole. But we don’t have any of the cool juggling pieces or enough rope for you to jump between the two of them. Oh, and _no net_.”

Your eyes grew twice in size as you looked even more scared than you thought possible. Then Jerome leaned his head against yours and spoke again.

“Don’t worry though! I will be right under you the entire time along with at least 6 other strong men incase something happens. But I don’t think anything will. You are too amazing, (Y/N).”

And with that, he grabbed your hand and kissed it before turning and heading out of the dressing room. You leaned forward and grabbed your head in your hands, trying to steady your breathing.

_What the fuck is happening? He can’t expect me to be as good as I used to be before I left Haly’s, can he? Oh my god, he really is crazy! Crazier than I thought! How the fuck am I gonna get out of here? Is there even a way out?_

You knew the answer to your own question, but didn’t want to believe it. In order to get out alive, you had to go through with Jerome’s insane fantasies. You just hoped you could get out of _those_ alive and in one piece.

There was a harsh knocking at the door that make you literally jump out of your thoughts. Before you could speak up, Jerome popped his head back in. He had his signature smile splayed across his face as if he didn’t have a care in the world.

“10 minutes, sweetcheeks!”


	5. "Tightrope Walking" - Part 5

**Summary for the Chapter:**

> Bruce and Jim see Jerome's message. They have to act smart and quick to get to you in time.

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> Bruce Wayne x Reader - Romantic Relationship
> 
> Jim Gordon x Reader - Father/Daughter Relationship
> 
> Jerome Valeska x Reader - Past Friendship
> 
> Key: Y/N = Your Name, L/N = Your Last Name, H/C = Your Hair Color, E/C = Your Eye Color
> 
> Warnings: Cursing, sort of panic attack type thing
> 
> This was based off of a request that I got on Tumblr.
> 
> Sort of Jim's P.o.V

_**11:30AM** _

Alfred had called Jim while you and Bruce got ready for the day. He told Jim that Bruce had a meeting with the company today and that they would be dropping you off at the GCPD within the hour. He was more than prepared for you to come.

Jim knew that you were always willing to help around the station, and they needed all the help they could get. That being said, he didn’t really let you out of his sight for too long. He was on alert along with a few of the other cops that he trusted. They didn’t know the whole situation, but they understood that if one of their own needed protection, they would deliver no questions asked.

_**12:00PM** _

Bruce came into the station with you on his arm, and Jim couldn’t help but smile. He really approved of your relationship. He knew Bruce, and he knew how good of a match he was for you. He and Bruce had also had a talk about what would happen if Bruce stepped out of line in any way. But Jim doubted that that would ever happen.

You and Jim worked on files for a majority of the day. He would fill out papers and put them in files, when he had a decent pile of them, you would run them to the necessary officers. He didn’t want to do much field work with you here. He trusted some of his buddies at the station, but he felt better being able to protect you himself as opposed to one of them taking that responsibility. While waiting for him to write, you would just sit there with your sketchbook and try to find inspiration to draw.

_**4:00PM** _

Jim got a phone call and you finally found an idea. Your favorite flower. Super simple but enough of a challenge for you since you hadn’t drawn in a while.

You had just begun to draw the base of it when Jim tapped your shoulder. There was a robbery on the other side of town that needed backup. He really didn’t need to tell you to stay safe, but he did anyways. A bit of a fatherly moment for Jim.

The robbery was handled well once backup came. It only took about an hour. It seemed too easily dealt with. Jim began thinking of possible scenarios in his head. He was interrogating one of the felons that they had managed to restrain. He was dressed in a crazy outfit with face paint all over him, making him look like a clown. No doubt a follower of Jerome.

“Where is Jerome?” Jim asked the henchman, but he was answered with laughter. Once he settled down, the man answered with one of Jim’s worst fears.

“He said something about searching for his ‘ _sweetcheeks_ ’ or something. Said that if we distracted Jim Gordon, he could find her and reward us.”

Jim’s expression changed from one of anger to pure fear. He handed the man off to another officer as he raced into his squad car and sped back to the station. The sound of maniacal laughter faded as Jim raced further and further away from this crime scene to the GCPD.

_**5:30PM** _

Jim walked back and saw the aftermath of a fight. Papers scattered, some desks turned over, some officers wounded, some dead. Most importantly, _you were gone_. Before he asked any of the cops, he called Bruce, hoping he had ended his meeting early and picked you up before any of this chaos happened.

“Detective Gordon, is everything alright?” Bruce knew that Jim wouldn’t call him unless something had happened.

“ _Please_ tell me that (Y/N) is with you.” There was silence on Bruce’s end of the line. After a second or two of silence, he spoke.

“No. I am just now leaving Wayne Tower. I am on my way to the GCPD.”

While waiting for Bruce, Jim asked some of the other officers what had happened. All of them said the one thing that he had hoped not to hear: Jerome came with his followers and took you. _You could be anywhere in Gotham by now._

It only took Bruce a few minutes to arrive at the station with Alfred. Wayne Tower wasn’t too far considering it was damn near close to the center of Gotham. He came in and looked put together, but Jim could imagine what he was feeling inside. It was probably very similar to what he was feeling: Fear, dread, and the need to find you.

Jim pulled Bruce into Harvey’s office in order to not cause a scene. Jim filled Bruce in on what had happened according to the other officers and the maniac at the crime scene. Bruce was trying his hardest not to completely lose it. He took a few breaths before responding.

“And there is _no_ way to tell where they are? _No_ sort of lead?” Just before Jim could respond, Harvey came in.

“We’ve gotten a few different hits on where Jerome could be.” Harvey looked just as worried as the other two.

Harvey was also like family to you. You came to him for advice or just to talk about things that you weren’t too comfortable talking to Jim about. To say he cared about you was an understatement.

“Alright, so we gather officers and we go save (Y/N).” Bruce said with a mixture of fear and confidence.

“Bruce, we can’t just–” Jim wasn’t able to finish his thought. Lucius Fox cut him off while heading to the TV off to the side.

“You’re going to want to see this.” All of them turn their attention to the TV.

The tv showed Jerome looking directly into the camera. His face was stapled in place after Dwight had cut it off and worn it as a mask. He was going on about how death gave him a new perspective on life, how there were no rules in the darkness.

“So tonight, Gotham, do you want. Kill who you want.” He tried to continue his thought but had to fix himself. He turned away from the camera for a second, regaining his composure, then made eye contact with someone off camera. The men all had the same fears of what he would show.

He pulled someone off the ground and held them in front of the camera. The moment you were shown in the camera, they all recognized you. Everyone was on edge before. But bringing you into the picture made everything more important than it already was.

From what they could tell, you didn’t have any injuries. You were trying not to cry. Jim could tell. He had told you that crying in front of any captor gave them more power over you. But this was a whole new level. It was no surprise you were crying.

But there was one important part: You were _alive._

Jerome started to speak again.

“Oh and to a certain _favorite_ GCPD cop and a certain rich orphan, I certainly found a prize. If you want _her_ , you gotta find _me_.” He pulled you close and kissed your cheek, causing you to flinch and cry a bit more. He let out a maniacal laugh before pulling out his lighter and finishing his speech.

“And when morning comes, you too shall be _reborn_!” You avoided the camera until you were being pulled away by Jerome.

The recording cut off into static after that. Bruce and Jim looked at each other, processing everything that they had just seen. Just as Jim was going to speak, there was a large explosion across the river. Then all of the power went out. They all flocked to the window and saw all of Gotham go dark, square by square.

All eyes go to Jim. He looks around to everyone before speaking.

“Grab what you need. Let’s go.”

_**Present Time - 8:00PM** _

Harvey, Jim, Alfred, and Bruce got out of the car to see the entrance to a carnival of sorts. As they walk closer, they realize it is not your typical carnival. There are so many things wrong with it. There were people scattered around the entirety of the grounds, but there seemed to be a large mass circled around something near the center. Bruce noticed this first.

“What’s that large crowd for?” Bruce pointed and the group’s eyes followed.

The four of them cautiously walk up to the crowd. They are all looking in the center of a circled off performance area. Jerome was in an outfit that mimicked a ringleader but with a deranged twist. He was appealing to the crowd before pulling out a megaphone.

“Welcome, one and all! Is everyone enjoying themselves?” The crowd roared in response. “Ain’t that just peachy? I’m glad that my circus has been liberating and amusing for you. I have no doubt that this next act will not disappoint!” There was a drumroll played through the half busted speakers. Jerome jumped onto a pedestal and spun in a slow circle to present this ‘next act’ to all sections of audience.

“Please keep your balance and give a round of applause for the one and only, (Y/N)!” Jerome shouted into the megaphone and gestured upwards.

All eyes followed Jerome’s hand. Jim, Bruce, Harvey, and Alfred stood in fear as they saw you _20 feet above them with no harness and no net below you._


	6. "Tightrope Walking" - Part 6

**Summary for the Chapter:**

> It's showtime!

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> Bruce Wayne x Reader - Romantic Relationship
> 
> Jim Gordon x Reader - Father/Daughter Relationship
> 
> Jerome Valeska x Reader - Past Friendship
> 
> Key: Y/N = Your Name, L/N = Your Last Name, H/C = Your Hair Color, E/C = Your Eye Color
> 
> Warnings: Cursing, sort of panic attack type thing
> 
> This was based off of a request that I got on Tumblr.

That 10 minute warning from Jerome came to an end quicker than you would’ve liked. You had gotten relatively comfortable moving around in your costume and shoes. You were stretching some more when Jerome busted into the dressing room.

He looked at you like how he used to. His eyes were actually caring and he had a genuine smile underneath the permanent one that was cut out. For a second, he looked like the Jerome you knew and used to love. But that thought quickly scattered. He is a _killer_. He is _insane_. He fucking _kidnapped_ you. There is no way he could have _any_ love in his cold heart.

“You look perfect, sweetcheeks. Truly perfect.” He moved in to kiss your cheek, but you pushed him away. His face grew annoyed. He grabbed your upper arm rather hard. Hard enough that you were sure you were going to have bruises. He pulled your face close to his.

“Why are you being so mean? Hmm?” You didn’t answer. You were looking down, so you didn’t see him raise his arm and aim for your face. He slapped you as hard as he gripped your arm. You wanted to fall to the floor but couldn’t. Jerome pulled you back up and made you look at him.

“Now look at you. Your makeup is smudged.” He looked down at his watch before turning back to you. “We don’t have any time to spare though. You’ll just go out like this.” You felt a tear trail down your cheek. Something in Jerome switched and he became caring again. Loosening his grip, he looked you up and down.

“(Y/N), I’m sorry. I just–” He went to put a hand on your cheek, but it stung so bad that you had to pull away. He just watched you flinch away. It broke his heart a bit. He grabbed one of your hands and tried to speak in a softer voice.

“You gotta get back in a good mindset, sweetcheecks. It’s time to shine.” You just looked up and wiped the tear from your sore face.

You tried to not think of how this was going to also bruise, as you got up. Jerome put an arm around you and walked you out to the chaos of the carnival.

Jerome stayed true to his word. There were quite a few stronger men acting as spotters below you. No matter the number of men that Jerome had gathered, you didn’t trust anyone here. You had made it up to the platform. It was just a bit shorter than the one you used to use during your time with Haly’s circus. _It’s only 20 ft. Come on. But what if–_

You didn’t have much more time to think. You suddenly felt the spotlight on you and caught the end of Jerome’s introduction. You looked down at him. He gave the megaphone to another henchman before taking his place right underneath you, where the safety net should be..

_There’s no other way to go. Keep moving forward._

You took a few seconds to gather yourself. Imagining yourself anywhere else but here. You adjusted your grip on your balance bar and took you first step on the rope, testing it out. For looking so haphazard, it was surprisingly stable. Another breath in, eyes looking forward, and you were off the platform.

What you couldn’t see below you was Bruce, Jim, Harvey, and Alfred watching you. All of them were worried beyond belief. Jim and Bruce knew your past, but Alfred and Harvey didn’t. Even knowing your past, Jim and Bruce were terrified. _There was no harness or net._ What would happen if you fell?

You were about halfway across. You weren’t focused on anything other than the music, the rope, and your breathing. Your old act came back to you and you tossed in a few tricks here and there. After doing a sort of fancy turn on the rope, you were regaining your balance when you heard a loud bang and felt a sharp pain rip through your upper arm. Somehow you don’t lose your balance completely, but you do have to just stop and stand there for a minute.

Looking down at your arm, you see red blood staining your leotard. Thank god the idiot missed the middle of your arm. That being said, he did manage to clip the side of your arm. And it was deep enough to do some damage. But at least it wasn’t through the middle or in another part of your body.

_Just breathe. You can’t do anything right now. Just get across this fucking rope and you’re done. Come on, (Y/N)._

Meanwhile, Jerome was watching you with so much protection until he knew you were balanced safely. He then pulled a gun out and turned to the man who still had his gun raised. Jerome was going to send a bullet straight through the dumbass’s head when he was taken aback by another gunshot. His eyes shot to you, but there was no harm done to you. Turning to the crowd, there was a pathway opening around a small group. Jim with his gun raised in the air with Bruce, Alfred, and Harvey behind him.

Jerome laughed when he saw them.

“Ladies and gentlemen! Our _special guests_ have arrived! The famous Jim Gordon and Bruce Wayne! And they brought some friends! Why don’t we show them–” Jerome’s speech was interrupted by your scream.

You had been listening to Jerome while also trying to keep you balance. But then two names stood out and made you lose your focus. You weren’t thinking clearly anymore. You scream without thinking.

“ _JIM! BRU–”_

All eyes went back up to you.

As soon as the words leave your throat, you feel your balance waiver. Your grip on the balancing pole failed and it fell onto a henchmen below. Before you could try to freehand it and get your balance back, your foot slips off of the rope. Jerome sees this and yells back at you. Bruce was going to lunge under you, but one of Jerome’s followers holds a gun against him and the others that came to save you.

“ _(Y/N)_! I gotcha, sweetcheeks.”

As soon as you felt your foot slip, you reached your arms out to grab the rope. Thank god you did. The wound on your arm felt like it opened even more due to the sudden strain to hold yourself on the rope. You let out a scream of pain, but you couldn’t let go. You tried to steady your breathing and readjusting your hands to get a better grip. You’ve been a similar position before.

_Your first show with Haly’s. Your first time performing your act in front of an audience. You tripped but pulled yourself back up. You surprised yourself with your strength. Find that strength again. Not physical. Mental strength._

_You cannot fall down. Jerome might catch you. Might. And even if he does, he’ll be all over you. You do not want that ever again. Bruce was down there. You wanted Bruce and your dad. Like fucking hell I’m gonna fall._

Taking another couple of breaths, you somehow push through the pain in your shoulder and get yourself sitting back on the rope, earning some applause from the viewers below. You look at where you are on the rope, only halfway. There is no where to go but forward. You were about to stand back up when Bruce’s voice rang out.

“Keep going, (Y/N)! You got this!” You look down and find him in the crowd. He is looking a Jerome and looks like he is going to try to take him down. Before you could scream back, Bruce is fighting with the henchman that had a gun pointed at his head. He then lunges at Jerome. Jerome lands on his ass and Bruce is now directly underneath you.

“I got you! Just fall down to me!” You actually think about it for a hot second but then see movement to Bruce’s left. Jerome is getting up, gun in hand, _his sight set on Bruce_. Fear came over you in a split second.

“ _Bruce! Watch out!_ ” Bruce turns around in time to see Jerome getting up and stalking towards him. He looks back at you once more. You scream at him. “Get out of here!”

“I’ll find you! I promise!” And with that, Bruce ran through the crowd and into the house of mirrors with Jerome following close behind. There is too much chaos going on down below for you to find Jim or Alfred or Harvey. So you take a deep breath and try to focus.

_There is no way out. Just forward._

Somehow you were able to tune everything out and stand back up. While regaining your balance, you heard another gunshot and a bullet whiz by you. Whoever tried to shoot at you missed. You looked down to see Jim knocking someone out, most likely the man who tried to shoot you just now. You two exchanged glances.

You could see how worried Jim was, even from this high up. You nod to him and he nods back before turning his attention to the thugs around him. Just that little moment gave you more confidence in your ability to do this.

Focusing on your breathing, you took step after step until you were almost there. The platform was only another 5 feet away. This realization hit you and you risked everything to pretty much run across that rope. 

You landed against the pole that shot through the middle of the platform. Taking a second to really feel that you were off the rope and safe, you slid down and sat there for a minute. Tears of relief flooded down your face. You regained your composure enough to see clearly, and you quickly went down the ladder to the ground.

_I gotta get to Bruce before Jerome does._

When you did reach the floor, you saw how chaotic it really was. Fighting everywhere, gunshots every so often, and screams of pain mixed in with the carnival music. You leaned down to a fallen follower of Jerome’s and took the baseball bat that he had in his dead hands. When you looked back up, you saw the sign for the House of Mirrors and ran as fast as you could.

Before you could get to the entrance, you saw Alfred. You were about to call out to him, but then you saw five henchmen beginning to circle around him. There was no way he could take all of them down himself. So you ran up and beat the shit out of two of them while Alfred took care of the other three. You had finished your two and saw one of the three that Alfred was fighting coming at him from behind with a knife. Before he could reach Alfred, you tapped his shoulder and whacked him as soon as he turned around. Alfred had finished the two he was fighting and then turned around to see you with the bat.

You were bashing at this creep’s ribs. It was all really hitting you what had happened. So all of your fear and adrenaline were getting out of your system. The only reason you stopped throwing the baseball bat at the follower was because the pain in your shoulder started to flare up again. It felt like you had been shot 20 times over in that spot. You dropped the bat while stumbling backwards a bit and quickly putting a hand over the wound. Alfred was by your side in a second to keep you upright.

“It’s alright, miss. He’s not getting up anytime soon.” He tried to look at you, but you had a faraway look in your eyes and your breathing was becoming quicker. Alfred remembered you getting like this at dinner. He tried his best to reenact what Bruce had done to get you back and calm you down a bit. 

“Miss?” He put his hand on your uninjured shoulder and you pulled back quickly, your brain was playing with you. You knew his voice. You knew him. 

“I’m not going to hurt you. I’m trying to help. I know it’s mad here, but you need to focus on something. Something small. Focus on the ground. Or better yet, focus on your hands.” You slowly shift your gaze to your hands as you move each digit and slowly come back to reality. Reality wasn’t much better than inside your head right now, but you had friends here. And that was better.

You fully realized that Alfred is here now. You throw your arms around him, wincing as you didn’t really think about your shoulder before doing so. Alfred tried his best to help you from falling over again. Before either of you could say anything, another voice entered. A voice that had helped you through so much in your life already. A voice you were scared you would never hear again.

“ _(Y/N)! ALFRED!_ ” You turn around and see Bruce coming out of the House of Mirrors. He is a bit bloody and beaten, but _he was alive_. Even though you were a little lightheaded, you ran towards him.

“ _BRUCE!_ ” He could see how much blood you had lost and how much pain you were in, so he ran a bit faster than normal so he could catch up to you. And good thing he did.

You got about 10 feet closer to him before tripping and almost falling, but you landing in his arms. He pulled you up and you both embraced for a second or two. He tightened his arms around your waist and buried his head in your neck. You were shaking like a leaf. Your shoulder hurt like a bitch, but you didn’t care. Bruce was alive and you were in his arms.

You both pulled away to look at each other. His hands inspecting the wound on your shoulder while yours just went up to his face. You were in tears.

“I was so scared I thought Jerome was going to kill you in there. And I thought about how that would have been the last time I saw you. And I don’t know what I would have done if he had–” You knew you were rambling but you couldn’t help it. Luckily, Bruce knew the best way to make you stop. He had simply leaned forward and kissed you. The kiss was not simple like your usual kisses, but you kissed back with no hesitation.

When you two pulled away, you were still shaking and crying. But now they were tears of relief. Bruce opened his mouth to say something when a voice behind you broke your attention. Turning around, you were met with the protective face of Jim with Harvey behind him.

“ _(Y/N)! Bruce! Behind you!_ ” Jim called out. Bruce took your hand and led you both to Alfred, the two of them helping hold you steady. You now saw what Jim was warning you two of. Jerome was stumbling out of the House of Mirrors towards the group of you, with his face sliding off. But Jim stepped in and socked one right to Jerome’s face. Jerome turned back to Jim with his face halfway sagging off of his head. Jerome tried to land a punch on Jim, be he dodged and returned with a strong punch to Jerome’s face again. This time causing his face to _fly_ a few feet away.

Jerome stumbled backwards, but before he completely fell, he looked at you. He saw you leaning on Bruce. His face went from pain to disgust.

“I thought you were better than that, _sweetcheeks_.” was all he got out before he fell backwards and passed out.

Harvey went to go make sure Jerome was down and put him in cuffs while he lightly shoved Jim towards you. You were already slowly making your way towards him, he just opened his arms and closed the distance. You were shaking and started crying again, thankful that you all were alive and together.

“I’m so sorry, (Y/N/N). This shouldn’t have happened to you.” You just looked up at him and shushed him.

“I know you’re sorry. But there wasn’t anything else we could have done to prevent this from happening. I just–” You lost your balance halfway through your sentence. Jim caught you, but you started getting tunnel vision and your ears were ringing.

“Harvey! Call for an ambulance!”


	7. "Tightrope Walking" - Part 7

**Summary for the Chapter:**

> Thank you so much for reading! I really enjoyed writing this when I did, I hope you did too! 
> 
> <3 
> 
> -DreaSaurusREX

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> Bruce Wayne x Reader - Romantic Relationship
> 
> Jim Gordon x Reader - Father/Daughter Relationship
> 
> Jerome Valeska x Reader - Past Friendship
> 
> Key: Y/N = Your Name, L/N = Your Last Name, H/C = Your Hair Color, E/C = Your Eye Color
> 
> Warnings: Cursing, sort of panic attack type thing
> 
> This was based off of a request that I got on Tumblr.

You woke up to the sound of a heart monitor beeping steadily and a comfortable warmth around your hand. You slowly open your eyes and have to blink a few times to get adjusted to the light. But when you do adapt, you see you’re in Gotham General. Then you look around and see your four favorite men.

Bruce was in a chair next to you holding your hand as he had his head leaning against your bed. His chest was slowly rising and falling, meaning he was asleep. Jim was in a chair on the opposite side of your bed, also asleep. Alfred was looking at the view outside the window, and Harvey was standing with him. They were chatting about something in hushed tones, probably not to wake the other two up.

It felt as if you had eaten cotton balls your throat was so dry. So instead of speaking to let them know you were awake, you just squeezed Bruce’s hand a few times. He slowly stirred awake and lifted his head, rubbing his eye with his free hand before really realizing the situation.

“Hey there, sleepyhead.” You managed to speak, but it came out very scratchy.

“(Y/N)!” Bruce’s voice was full of relief and happiness. He stood up and leaned over to give you a hug. You winced a bit from the pressure on your shoulder. Bruce immediately pulled back and apologized. You put a hand on his cheek and stroked your thumb over a few small cuts that he had there. Before you could try to say anything again, someone cuts you off.

“I think you’ll need some of this if you want to talk, kiddo.” You look over and see Jim standing with a cup of water in his hand. You graciously take it and drink all of it. Then you gave Bruce the empty cup and pulled Jim into a hug. You could tell that he still felt guilty for all of this.

Harvey stood next to Jim and Alfred stood next to Bruce. Harvey was the one that kind of brought back reality.

“I hate to ask this, but do you remember what happened, (Y/N)? The doc said that there shouldn’t be any brain problems, but I don’t trust doctors.” You chuckled a bit before feeling your smile fade as you remembered what happened.

“Yeah. I remember. Jerome came back somehow, kidnapped me, led an insane circus, and had me go on a tightrope again.” You hated that it happened and that it wasn’t some nightmare. But the pain that you felt in your shoulder proved it was real. Bruce didn’t let go of your hand. He was going to say something but then Jim spoke.

“I know you don’t like talking about your past, but I had to fill Alfred and Harvey in. I hope you’re not more upset at me.” You reached for your dad’s hand and gave it a squeeze.

“I am _not_ upset at you in any way. You had _no_ control over any of this. And I knew that the two of them would have to find out somehow. I’m kind of glad that you told them.” You really didn’t want to talk about this all right now. So you tried to move the conversation. “So how long am I in here?”

“Another day or two. You not only have the bullet wound in your shoulder, but you had a small fracture in your ankle. You must not have felt it because of the adrenaline going through you after getting off the rope.”

You looked down and saw the boot on your foot. You vaguely remember it hurting while Jerome made his announcement on TV. You tripped and ended up landing on it weirdly. But you didn’t feel it while on the tightrope, but walking like how you did probably made it worse.

“I hate to break this up, but Jim and I gotta head back to the station and do the reports on this case. I’m sure the two of you won’t be leaving anytime soon?” Harvey motioned towards Bruce and Alfred.

“I am actually going to go and grab some grub for the three of us. Give you two a little personal time.” Alfred said as he went out the door with Jim and Harvey. He threw you two a look that said ‘ _Don’t be stupid_ ’ causing you both to laugh a bit.

When they finally left, you scooted over and tapped the bed next to you. Bruce gladly sat next to you and put his arm around your shoulders, care to avoid putting pressure on your injured one. The two of you came together like comfortable magnets. After dealing with Jerome, you were so thankful to be back in comfortable arms.

“You doing okay?”

“Yeah. Just glad to be here right now.”

“I can’t even imagine being up that high on that wire with the chaos that was below.”

“To be honest, I kind of missed tightrope walking. Granted, not in that type of setting, but still… There was a moment when I was up there and I wasn’t in the fucked up circus. I was in my own world, doing my own thing. I think I did some tricks just because I was so lost in the moment. Then this shit happened.” You motioned to your wrapped up shoulder. 

“Would you want to continue doing it again?” Bruce was honestly curious. You were taken a bit aback by his positive question.

“I’m not sure where I would. I don’t think there are any job’s in Gotham that emphasize that. And I don’t know if I could go that high again. Going from the ground to 20 feet in the air was not a fun transition.”

“Well, what about recreationally?” Bruce mused.

“Even then, there isn’t really space in my apartment with Jim for any sort of line set up.” Your shared apartment with Jim was on the bigger side as far as apartments go. But there really was no place that you could set a slackline up without causing mayhem.

“I could see a few places around my place that could have one set up. Only a couple of feet off the ground though.”

“Bruce, are you serious?” You couldn’t believe what he was offering. The fact that he brought it up so nonchalantly threw you off.

“I think it would be cool. It can help you work through your past more and get you back into doing something you love. It will also help you strengthen your ankle after this fracture heals. And as long as there is actually safety equipment, I don’t see any problem with it.”

There were no words that could properly tell Bruce how much you loved him. You just put a hand on his cheek and pull him into a kiss.

You were so thankful for this man. He accepted your past and wanted to be a part of your life. You truly loved him and he loved you. The circus girl and her boy wonder.


End file.
